- Las Vegas Club was a hotel and casino located on the Fremont Street Experience in downtown Las Vegas, Nevada. The Las Vegas Club opened in 1930, joining the Las Vegas Hotel which had opened in 1908. The Las Vegas Club was relocated across the street in 1949.
- Today, we bring the modern-day casino and a hotel experience with touches of vintage Las Vegas throughout. From comfortable rooms in the heart of the city, to blackjack tables and slots old and new, to bars that provide entertainment with specialty drinks, come stay at the D.
Las Vegas is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States, with about 40 million people a year visiting one of the only places in the world where people can indulge in their wildest fantasies. While Las Vegas is one of the most fantastical and busiest cities in the world, it wasn't always this way. The area was originally occupied by Native Americans before the first Europeans arrived in 1829. Nevada became a state in 1864 and the town of Las Vegas was established in 1905.
That being said, there is one casino building still standing that was built in 1906, not long after Las Vegas was founded as a railroad town, which makes it the oldest casino in Las Vegas and, quite rightly, it stands at One Fremont Street. Top No Deposit Bonuses WinADay Casino ($38) Slots.LV ($22).
A year later, the first hotel opened on Fremont Street and is amazingly still in operation today. Since then, Las Vegas has not stopped growing and while many of the old hotels and casinos have closed down, several of the city's original hotels are still thriving.
10. Harrah's Las Vegas
Holiday Casino
July 2, 1973 (45 years ago)
3475 South Las Vegas Boulevard
2,677
91,833 sq ft (8,531.6 m2)
Harrah's Las Vegas was not the first Harrah's hotel and casino in Nevada – founder Bill Harrah started his empire in nearby Reno in 1937/38. The hotel was originally opened in 1973 as the Holiday Casino by former Silver Slipper casino owners, Shelby and Claudine Williams. The Holiday Casino had a riverboat theme. A few years after Shelby Williams died, Holiday Inns, Inc. acquired Holiday Casino as well as Harrah's Hotel Casino Company.
In 1992, the hotel's name was changed to Harrah's Las Vegas and a couple of years later, the riverboat theme was dropped in favor of a carnival/Mardi Gras theme, which the hotel still maintains today. Harrah's Las Vegas recently had a $140 million renovation just in time for the 80th anniversary of the Harrah's Hotel Casino Company in early 2018.
9. Circus Circus
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October 18, 1968 (49 years ago)
2880 South Las Vegas Boulevard
3,773
123,928 sq ft (11,513.3 m2)
Circus Circus is famous for its carnival theme and the Adventuredome indoor amusement park. The circus themed hotel was opened by Jay Sarno, who wanted to followup the success of Caesars Palace with a place that could be enjoyed by all members of the family. It was the first property in Las Vegas designed to attract families. Sarno was initially so impressed with his circus theme that he opened the casino without finishing the hotel rooms.
However, Sarno's gamble nearly failed and the Circus Circus was almost shut down. The hotel portion of Circus Circus was finally completed in 1972 and Sarno sold the hotel two years later. Circus Circus was expanded over the years and the Adventuredome was added in 1993 and remains the hotel's most popular attraction.
8. Caesars Palace
Caesar's Palace
April 5, 1966 (52 years ago)
3570 South Las Vegas Boulevard
3,976
124,181 sq ft (11,536.8 m2)
Caesars Palace is one of the only hotels on this list that has kept it original name and theme since it was first opened. Although there were a few other hotels with distinct themes opened earlier, Caesars Palace is considered the first true themed resort in Las Vegas. Caesars Palace was opened by hotelier Jay Sarno, who wanted the hotel to be opulent and over the top.
From the start, Caesars Palace was a place of excess. The grand opening party cost $1 million and had famous guests such as Johnny Carson, Jimmy Hoffa, and a young Steve Wynn. Over the years, Caesars Palace expanded and in 1992 a large luxury mall called the Forum Shops was added to the hotel. Caesars Palace has also hosted several famous musicians like Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross, Celine Dion, and Elton John.
7. The LINQ Hotel & Casino
Flamingo Capri
1959 (59 years ago)
3535 South Las Vegas Boulevard
2,640
32,890 sq ft (3,056 m2)
Of all the hotels on this list, the LINQ Hotel & Casino, has had the most identity changes since it was originally opened as the Flamingo Capri motel in 1959. The Flamingo Capri was a luxury motel built near the Flamingo Hotel & Casino, hence its name – the Flamingo Hotel also agreed to provide hotel services to the motel's guests. In 1971, Ralph Engelstad purchased the Flamingo Capri and expanded the motel by adding additional buildings as well as a casino in 1972.
Engelstad kept making the motel larger until it was officially large enough to qualify as a hotel and he changed its name and theme to the Imperial Palace in 1979. The hotel operated as the Imperial Palace for over 30 years before it was acquired by the Caesars Entertainment Corporation in 2011. Caesars briefly named the hotel The Quad Resort and Casino before finally settling on the LINQ Hotel & Casino in 2014.
6. Tropicana Las Vegas
Tropicana
April 4, 1957 (61 years ago)
3801 Las Vegas Boulevard South
1,467
50,000 sq ft (4,600 m2)
The Tropicana Las Vegas opened on April 4, 1957 and was the first hotel in Las Vegas designed as a resort hotel rather than a typical hotel and casino. The founder of the Tropicana, Ben Jaffee (a Miami hotelier), wanted to build a luxurious and classier hotel in the city and chose a tropical theme for the aptly named Tropicana. At the time, the Tropicana was the most expensive hotel ever built in Las Vegas.
Although Jafee was the owner of the Tropicana, the hotel was built and operated by Conquistador Inc., which was owned by 'Dandy' Phil Kastel. Kastel had strong connections to the mob through his long partnership with mobster Frank Costello. Since then, the Tropicana has been renovated a few times and the hotel is currently owned and operated by Penn National Gaming is a franchise of Hilton's DoubleTree chain.
5. SLS Las Vegas
Sahara Hotel and Casino
original on October 7, 1952; current on August 23, 2014
2535 Las Vegas Boulevard South
1,720
85,000 sq ft (7,900 m2)
photo source:Flickr via kennejimaphoto source: Wikimedia Commons
Although the SLS Las Vegas hotel may not have anything to with its iconic predecessor, the Sahara Hotel and Casino, it is still technically the same hotel because the original building is still being used. SLS Las Vegas is only four years old, but the Sahara was open for nearly 60 years. The Sahara opened in 1952 and had a North African theme in homage to the famous desert it was named after.
The Sahara was successful for several decades, before it slowly declined in popularity. After several last ditch attempts to help the Sahara stay afloat, it finally shut down in the spring of 2011. The hotel's owner, SBE Entertainment Group, decided to completely overhaul the Sahara and reopen under a modern luxury concept called the SLS Las Vegas.
4. Flamingo Las Vegas
Flamingo Hotel & Casino
December 26, 1946 (71 years ago)
3555 South Las Vegas Boulevard
3,626
72,299 sq ft (6,716.8 m2)
The Flamingo Las Vegas is the oldest hotel on the Strip (the modern Strip) and has been in continuous operation since December 1946. Billy Wilkerson, the founder of The Hollywood Reporter magazine, was the man behind the idea of the Flamingo.
Wilkerson, along with notorious mobster Bugsy Siegel, wanted to build a hotel and casino that would basically 'trap' gamblers in and keep them playing for hours – this was the start of the way modern casinos in Las Vegas and around the world operate today. The Flamingo was the first casino to have no clocks or windows so gamblers would lose track of time. It was also the first hotel in Las Vegas to ditch the old Wild West themes and opt for glitz and glamour instead.
3. The Golden Nugget Las Vegas
The Golden Nugget Saloon
August 30, 1946 (72 years ago)
129 Fremont Street
2,419
38,000 sq ft (3,500 m2)
Today, the Golden Nugget is a small chain of hotels/casinos with locations in Biloxi, Atlantic City, Laughlin, Lake Charles, and the original in Las Vegas. Like many of the oldest hotels and casinos in Las Vegas, the Golden Nugget's history is tied to the mob. The original Golden Nugget was opened in 1946 by Guy McAfee, a kingpin in the illegal gambling scene of Los Angeles who had fled to Las Vegas.
McAfee is credited with coining 'The Strip', the name used for the main area of Las Vegas' hotels and casinos. When it was first built, the Golden Nugget was the flashiest and biggest casino in the world. It was also the first building in Las Vegas to built as a stand alone casino.
2. El Cortez
El Cortez
1941 (77 years ago)
600 East Fremont Street
364
45,300 sq ft (4,210 m2)
Although the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is older by several decades, El Cortez bills itself as the longest continuously running hotel and casino in Las Vegas. El Cortez was opened in 1941 by John Kell Houssels, John Grayson, and Marion Hicks. It was the first major resort in Downtown Las Vegas. A few years later Houssels, Grayson, and Hicks sold El Cortez to group that included Gus Greenbaum, Moe Sedway, Bugsy Siegel, and Dave Berman.
After Houssels reacquired El Cortez in 1946, the hotel was remodeled in 1952 – a neon arrow, marquee, and large roof sign was added and are still present today. While El Cortez has modernized its interior and rooms, the facade is still the same as it was in 1952. Due to the outside of the building being unchanged, El Cortez was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2013.
1. Golden Gate Hotel and Casino
Hotel Nevada (Miller Hotel)
January 13, 1906 (112 years ago)
1 Fremont Street
122
35,000 sq ft (3,300 m2)
The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino first opened its doors at the beginning of 1906, making it the oldest hotel (and casino) in Las Vegas. The opening of the Golden Gate Hotel (originally Hotel Nevada) is considered the birth of Las Vegas. It was the first hotel built on Fremont Street, which is the founding site of the city of Las Vegas.
Several Las Vegas firsts happened at the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino, including having the city's first telephone installed (the Golden Gate's phone number was 1); putting up a large outdoor sign, a precursor to Las Vegas' iconic neon lights; and being the birthplace of the shrimp cocktail. The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is still going strong today and many of the original rooms have been updated and are still being used.
The area that would become Las Vegas was first settled in 1905 and from the start gambling was part of the city's fabric. Unfortunately, gambling was outlawed for several decades and the oldest casino on this list had to stop their gaming activities for a time.
Many of the other casinos on this list have also not been in continuous operation as they've undergone major renovations and ownership changes. However, these are still technically the oldest casinos in Las Vegas.
11. Harrah's Las Vegas
July 2, 1973
Holiday Casino
3475 South Las Vegas Boulevard
91,833 sq ft (8,531.6 m²)
Harrah's Las Vegas was originally called the Holiday Casino when it opened in 1973 until 1992. The Holiday Casino was small, had a riverboat theme, and was built in front of the Holiday Inn Las Vegas Center Strip. Following years of renovations after a change in ownership, Harrah's Las Vegas reopened with a Mardi Gras and Carnival theme. It is the Caesars Entertainment (formerly Harrah's Entertainment) flagship property as there are many other Harrah's hotels around the country.
Did You Know?
Harrah's Las Vegas has a fairly large gaming space at 91,833 sq ft (8,531.6 m²) and contains over 1,200 slot machines.
10. The LINQ Hotel & Casino
casino opened in 1972, but hotel opened in 1959
Flamingo Capri
3535 South Las Vegas
32,890 sq ft (3,056 m²)
The LINQ Hotel & Casino was opened as the Flamingo Capri motel in 1959. The motel was named after the larger Flamingo Hotel and Casino and the Flamingo Capri was technically part of the original Flamingo's property. The casino was not added until 1972 and a few years later, the property was turned into the Asian-themed Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino. In 2012, the Imperial Palace was turned into The Quad Resort and Casino. It was renamed again two years later to the LINQ Hotel & Casino.
Did You Know?
The LINQ Hotel & Casino is home to the 550-foot-tall High Roller, The World's Tallest Observation Wheel.
9. Circus Circus Las Vegas
October 18, 1968
Circus Circus
2880 South Las Vegas Boulevard
123,928 sq ft (11,513.3 m2)
Unlike most of the other casinos on this list, which didn't add gambling spaces until later, Circus Circus was only a casino before a hotel was added. While this was a unique idea, Circus Circus faced financial problems from the beginning because there were no rooms available to attract high rollers.
A hotel was eventually added to the the casino, but Circus Circus owner Jay Sarno borrowed the money from the Teamsters Pension Fund. This led the government to investigate Circus Circus and Sarno ended up selling the casino a few years later.
Did You Know?
Circus Circus is the largest permanent big top (circus tent) in the world.
8. Caesars Palace
August 5, 1966
N/A
3570 South Las Vegas Boulevard
124,181 sq ft (11,536.8 m2)
Caesars Palace was established in 1966 by Jay Sarno, who sought to create an opulent facility that gave guests a sense of life during the Roman Empire. It is one of the largest and most recognized landmark in Las Vegas. The actual casino portion of Caesars Palace is significantly larger than most other casinos, clocking in at a massive 24,181 square feet (11,536.8 square meters). From the very beginning, Caesars Palace has attracted high rollers from around the world.
Did You Know?
The reason Caesars Palace doesn't have an apostrophe in its name is because the purpose of the of the palace was to ensure an atmosphere in which everybody staying at the hotel would feel like a 'Caesar.'
7. Planet Hollywood Las Vegas
casino opened in 1966, but hotel built on December 24, 1962
Aladdin
3667 South Las Vegas Boulevard
60,835 sq ft (5,651.8 m²)
Although Planet Hollywood Las Vegas opened in 2000, its on the site of the previous Aladdin hotel and casino, which traces its history to 1962. Initially, the Aladdin was only a hotel called the Tallyho, which tried to add a casino in 1963. However, there were a lot of issues with licensing and a casino was not opened on the property until Milton Prell bought the hotel in 1966. The building was heavily renovated and received an Arabian Nights theme.
The Aladdin closed in 1997 and was demolished to make room for the new Aladdin. The name of the hotel and casino was changed to Planet Hollywood in 2007.
Did You Know?
The first skill-based gambling machines, from Gamblit Gaming, in Las Vegas were installed at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas in March 2017.
6. Tropicana Las Vegas
April 4, 1957
Tropicana
3801 South Las Vegas Boulevard
50,000 sq ft (4,600 m²)
Oldest Casino On Fremont Street Restaurants
photo source: Flickr via James WhiteTropicana Las Vegas was built in 1957 by Ben Jaffe, an executive of the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Jaffe set out to build the finest hotel in Las Vegas and settled on a Cuban-inspired theme for his new resort. In the late 1970s, the Tropicana was the unfortunate target of a mob skimming operation. The Kansas City crime family, aka the Civella crime family, siphoned money from the cashier cage through Joe Agosto, the owner of the Tropicana's Folies Bergere show.
Did You Know?
The Tropicana – Las Vegas Boulevard intersection, has the most hotel rooms of any intersection in the world and pedestrians are not allowed to cross at street level. Instead, the Tropicana is linked by overhead pedestrian bridges to its neighboring casinos.
5. Sahara Las Vegas
October 7, 1952
Sahara Hotel and Casino
2535 South Las Vegas Boulevard
85,000 sq ft (7,900 m²)
Although the Sahara Las Vegas was opened over 67 years ago, the casino and hotel has not been in continuous operation. The Sahara was closed in 2011 after it became unprofitable and was not re-opened until 2004. The building was completely renovated and all of the Sahara's original Moroccan themed décor was removed.
The hotel and casino was also renamed to SLS Las Vegas as part of SBE's chain of SLS hotels. However, after the the Meruelo Group purchased the SLS Las Vegas, they decided to change the name back to Sahara Las Vegas. While the new Sahara has a modern look, it does make minor references to the old Moroccan theme.
Did You Know?
The Sahara Las Vegas has been home to many notable performers, including Marlene Dietrich, Tony Bennett, Sonny and Cher, Johnny Carson, Liberace, Sammy Davis Jr., Judy Garland, and many more.
4. Flamingo Las Vegas
December 26, 1946
The Fabulous Flamingo
3555 South Las Vegas Boulevard
72,299 sq ft (6,716.8 m²)
Flamingo Las Vegas was opened as The Fabulous Flamingo in 1946. The hotel and casino was the third resort built on the Las Vegas Strip and is now the oldest remaining establishment on the Strip. Like many old Vegas casinos, the Flamingo has ties to the American mafia. Famous mobster Bugsy Bugsy Siegel and his partners took over the final phases of construction of the Flamingo and invested a significant amount of money to open the hotel and casino.
After Siegel's death, Moe Sedway and Gus Greenbaum, magnates of the nearby El Cortez Hotel, took possession of the Flamingo. Ownership of the Flamingo has changed many times since then.
Did You Know?
Allegedly, Bugsy Siegel named The Flamingo after after his girlfriend, Virginia Hill, who loved to gamble and was nicknamed 'Flamingo' because of her long, skinny legs.
3. Golden Nugget Las Vegas
August 30, 1946
The Golden Nugget
129 Fremont Street
38,000 sq ft (3,500 m²)
Golden Nugget Las Vegas, commonly called by its original name The Golden Nugget, has been in operation since 1946. The hotel and casino is an iconic part of Las Vegas' Fremont Street Experience. Over the years, various prominent Las Vegas hotel/casino owners have had part ownership in the Golden Nugget, such as Jackie Gaughan (long-time owner of the El Cortez) and Steve Wynn early on in his career.
Did You Know?
Fox television series, The Casino, is based on Poster Financial Group, who purchased Golden Nugget Las Vegas in 2003 and upgraded the gambling operation by installing new cashless slot machines and by increasing the maximum bet available at table games to $15,000.
2. El Cortez
November 7, 1941
N/A
600 East Fremont Street
45,300 sq ft (4,210 m²)
Opened since 1941 as both a hotel and casino, the El Cortez is the oldest continuously existing casino in Las Vegas. El Cortez was built by Marion Hicks and J.C. Grayson as the first major resort in downtown Las Vegas. The casino has been in continuous operation for over 77 years and is one of the only casinos to have never changed its exterior façade; the original ranch-themed architecture remained even when the signage was modernized in 1952.
Did You Know?
Although many people thought that the El Cortez was too far from the main downtown area, but the casino became so profitable that it was purchased by famous mobsters Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, Gus Greenbaum, and Moe Sedway for $600,000.
1. Golden Gate Hotel and Casino
January 13, 1906, but ceased casino operations until 1931 after gambling was banned in 1909
Hotel Nevada (temporarily called the Miller Hotel)
1 Fremont Street
12,243 sq ft (1,137.4 m²)
There is some argument over whether or not the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is older than the El Cortez and many people do cite Golden Gate as older. This is because the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino was built in 1906 and despite some misinformation, the hotel did operate a casino for its first few years. However, gambling did become illegal in Las Vegas in 1909, so the Golden Gate ceased casino operations. After gambling was reinstated in 1931, Golden Gate resumed gambling activities, making the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino the oldest casino in Las Vegas.
Did You Know?
As the oldest hotel and casino in Las Vegas, the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino set many firsts, including being the first lodging establishment in the city to receive plumbing and having the first telephone/number in Las Vegas.
Oldest Casino On Fremont Street Sacramento
Oldest Casino On Fremont Street
